Chris Moyles announces departure from Radio 1 breakfast show live on air

The station's longest-running breakfast show host is expected to leave at the end of September - listen to his heartfelt announcement here

DJ Chris Moyles is to leave his Radio 1 breakfast show at the end of September.

Moyles, 38, made a heartfelt four-minute long announcement live on the programme this morning telling listeners he would be standing down as host after an eight-year stint that has made him the station's longest-running breakfast show host by several years.

“So I have an announcement to make,” said Moyles. “And for most of our audience, it’s probably the last thing they want to hear me say. But you know me, I don’t do things by halves - so cue the sad music…

“We’re going to leave the breakfast show… A couple more months of us and then it’s someone else’s turn to have a go.”

“Radio 1 are going to find someone new to host the show and they’ll put their take on it - Radio 1 can do that when they want to do that but this show is all about me and it’s all about the team and with the hope of sounding over the top and melodramatic I wanted to say thank you to everybody listening to the show for giving the team and me the best time ever.”

Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper said of Moyles, who currently pulls in an audience of over 7 million: "I'd like to thank Chris. Quite simply he's been the most successful breakfast show host in Radio 1 history. He's done it for more than eight-and-a-half years and he's been fantastic."

The station is under pressure to attract a younger audience, with the BBC Trust saying in June that it must target more listeners under 30.

Moyles will be replaced by Nick Grimshaw, who currently hosts a Monday-Thursday 10pm programme on Radio 1.